Search Results: money or happiness

Obviously in an ideal world we would all have both but if you could either choose wealth or happiness, which would you choose? I'm not saying that with happiness you'll be living in poverty, you just won't be as wealthy.

I look forward to your answers :)

I live in a small city. I've grown up here all my life. I have friends here but they seem to be deminishing. People gradutating, people moving, etc. I have A TON of friends in the big apple, mostly in LI.

I work a good job in upstate NY, but as I get older, I'll be 25 next year, I start to think about my future. My house, a wife? a family? all that kind of stuff. I don't have a girlfriend, I am in touch with my ex, but here is the thing. I don't make enough money to save for a house. I mean I make a lot more than a lot of my friends and I keep telling myself that but I also keep telling myself just because iwmake way more than my friends do, doesn't mean its enough for me.

I make about 17.50/hr, I get benefits, 401k, bonuses all that jazz. Its greay and I love the place I work. I only pya 300/month in rent plus cable/internet blah blah. I know that's INSANELY cheap and good. Well I still find it hard to save at all. I've been stuck at around 1,000 for YEARSSSSS and its very frustratin knowing at 17.50 an hour I should be pulling in about 33k AFTER taxes.

I know in LI the cost of living is WAY higher, prices are different for a lot of things. I saw some jobs down there in my field offering $30-40 an hour which is a HUGE increase, I also understand the cost of living iw as higher than wehre I currently live. I've done some calcuations keeping everything the same as far as my bills go, but upping my rent to about 1,000/month plus utilities. (if I live on my own). Anyways id be saving around 2k more a month AND id be closer to A TON of my friends.

Im just stuck with what to do, I feel like I may be happier down there but I'm scared I won't be. I love the job I haev here but I just need more money, I can't be getting %5 raise a year (being under $1) I mean that's nly $40/week, its not that much...

So do I take a chance and check out jobs down there and be closer to friends, meet new people, start a new life.

Or do I stay here, put it out for a couple more years and see what happens? I've ben at this company for 4 years about and its great, just with the bonuses and everything it doesn't even come close to what I would make at this other job.

Anyone who is from the big apple, specifically LI what can I expect if I move down there? Do people think I should be looking for another job, I mean I know money doesn't buy happiness, but I mean at some point I'm going to need a bigger raise than $40/week.

I know people will say what are youthinking the job market sucks you ahvef a good job, but I don't know I jsut feel I may be happier somewhere lse? its been on my mind for some time now and I know life is about taking chances and risks. I'm just afraid that I may lose everything if I take this chance but then again it could be the best thing I ever did. If I stay ehre I will most likely grow in this company but I don't know when? my boss is young and will probably be here till she retires. Ugh I just need some input/suggestions/opions.

Thanks